RELATIVE VS ABSOLUTE RIGHT HEMISPHERE SUPERIORITY FROM LATERAL DIFFERENCES IN VISUAL PROCESSING BY NORMALS: AN EXAMPLE OF UNCERTAINTY IN EXPERIMENTAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

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Statistical tools (correlations and analyses of variance) have been proposed to decide whether a hemispheric functional asymmetry reflects absolute or relative cerebral superiority. A set of 16 normal subjects were given two tasks involving right hemisphere competences in the visual modality: the recognition of a small set of easily discriminated faces and meaningless geometrical figures, displayed in the lateral visual fields. The statistical tools did not perfectly agree with one another as had already been noted in a previous study. The results also showed a left hemisphere advantage, contrary to expectations; this last observation is linked with a possible asymmetrical effect of familiarization with the material